DISNEY WEEK - DISNEYLAND

I missed posting the below shots for our Disney week.

Disneyland, the original, one and only.

Established 1955.

DISNEY WEEK: CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

Despite a rough beginning and early-life as a low-budget sister park to Disney's flagship Disneyland, California Adventure moved into its own with a multi-billion dollar and multiyear refit, strengthening the park and establishing an identity completely separate from its more famous neighbor.

Since then, DCA has emerged as a fitting companion and destination park in and of itself.

DISNEY WEEK: DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM

Disney's Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 as the fourth theme park at Walt Disney World. Physically the largest footprint of any teem park in the world, its attendance has been traditionally below that of the other Disney operations in Walt Disney World, though still high enough to qualify it as the seventh most popular park in the world.

The 2017 opening of Pandora, a new land based on the film Avatar, promises to increase that attendance, though by what amount remains to be seen.

The iconic Tree of Life

DISNEY WEEK: EPCOT

All this week we'll be visiting the various Disney complexes. 

Today's image is from Epcot, Walt Disney World.

As originally planned, EPCOT, which stood for Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow, was a full urban design complex. As eventually realized, the result of economic and entertainment realities, Epcot became a theme park with a focus on technology and society.

There are two sections of the park. The first you will enter is Future World, a series of pavilions showcasing different aspects of technology and the future. This includes a couple of exciting rides, the Mission Space, a simulated mission to Mars, and Test Track, a high-speed automotive ride.

On the more sedate but exciting nonetheless side is the fantastic Soarin' film attraction. While I haven't been on the Florida ride, the California Adventure edition is simply wonderful. 

Across a large lake you'll find the other side of the park, a pseries of international pavilions - essentially high-quality immersive exhibits from eleven different nations around the world. If you're a traveler, this is an exciting opportunity to "visit" a variety of destinations in one day.

Like its younger cousin California Adventure, Epcot struggled in its early years. But as its reputation grew, and its themes a little more focused, it steadily built in popularity becoming the sixth most attended park in the world in 2015.

Pic of the Day: A Good Facelift

Disney California Adventure, a second Southern California theme park meant to compliment Disneyland, opened in 2001 to universal yawns. 

Built with an eye more towards budget than awing the crowd, the park fell well short of expectations, both at the corporate finance level and at the customer enjoyment level.

To his credit, Disney Chairman Bob Iger accepted that the company had tried to do something on the cheap, admitting in 2007 that "Any time you do something mediocre with your brand, that's a withdrawal. California Adventure was a brand withdrawal."

In 2012 an expanded and improved California Adventure was rededicated and "reopened" to record crowds. The park, lacking any kind of wow factor in the beginning was on track with the addition of Carsland and Buena Vista Street (both of which I personally love). Other lands were added to and improved, a project which continues to evolve -- this year they park remade and reopened the area previously called Condor Flats as part of the larger and more thematically cohesive Grizzly Peak.

Originally an "also-ran" park, DCA (as it is called in the 21st Century acronymic society) is now my second favorite Disney park -- next to Disneyland itself, both literally and figuratively.

Mickey's Fun Wheel and the California Screamin' roller coaster

Pic of the Day: Disney, Futures' Past

The Disney monorail system is commonly held up as a shining example of the technology in regular use. Despite the fact the system has never been truly successful other than a short-distance transit system (like Seattle's or many major airports') the monorail has been replaced in futurists' minds by electromagnetic and rail-based high speed machines. There are a few still under consideration and construction (operational in Mumbai, Seattle and Las Vegas and under consideration in Tennessee), but by and large other, grander, systems seem to have become the norm.

This is unfortunate, because as an image of the future, you really can't get more iconic than a monorail -- and for many of us, the Disney versions were the first we not only saw, but rode. And in a way, we touched the future.

(Taken in EPCOT Center, April, 2004)

Pic of the Day: Mickey's Fun Wheel!

Mickey's Fun Wheel, Disney's California Adventure Park. The end of a long day, as the Onshore Flow begins to assert a chilly effect upon Southern California.

The park underwent a major -- and by all accounts hugely successful -- renovation a few years back.

And from his vantage point above the lake, Mickey seems pleased.

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." 
                - Albert Einstein



It has been on our No Opportunity Wasted to-do list since the first lists we made back in 2007. 

The Great Barrier Reef conjures, in our mind's eye, hundreds of images and emotions -- in particular, for many fans of Disney movies, the stunning visuals from Pixar's beautifully made film FINDING NEMO. Or, if you're older, perhaps it's Disney's 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.

Regardless, we all have our images which are conjured up simply by the name: The Great Barrier Reef. Or its geographic corollary, the Coral Sea.

The Reef itself is certainly one of the world's "legendary" natural wonders, alongside such landmarks as The Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, Mount Everest and the harbor at Rio de Janeiro. As a traveler I find myself more enthused and impressed by natural wonders than I am by those

man-made, though certainly there are spectacles with our human thumbprints on them. The grandeur of nature, however, never fails to put mankind in our place, and I love that.

Queensland, along the northern eastern seaboard of Australia, is a diverse and beautiful part of the world. For our visit we chose to bypass the city-like Cairns area, favoring instead a short jaunt north to Port Douglas, a wonderful little seaside town with a laid-back and decidedly tropical flair.

We stayed for four nights at ...By The Sea Port Douglas, our little inn at the beach while in Far North Queensland. (We were amused at the label "The FNQ" as pronounced by most Australians -- more like Effen Q, and not entirely by accident.)

The beach at Port Douglas, just steps from the inn

The inn is perfectly situated within an easy walk to the beach, as well as just a few minutes on foot from the primary shopping and dining district in Port Douglas, along Macrossan Street. The rooms are quite nice, and the views of the tree-lined beach from the third floor are tremendous. The only caution is that the inn does not have a lift, which makes luggage a challenge and any kind of physical impairment a challenge for the upper floors. Still, the location, property, and people make the inn our first choice next time we head back to the FNQ.

Our adventure on the Reef began early in the morning, as the shuttle for Calypso Reef Cruises arrived at the inn to pick us up. The staff at ...By the Sea had equipped us with towels, and the Calypso had the rest of what we needed. I packed only my brand-spanking-new Nikon AW1 underwater camera for the voyage. I'd bought it specifically for this trip, and was excited to see what kind of results it would yield. (And, to be honest, a bit nervous about dunking a thousand dollar camera into salt water...but more about that later.)

A few minutes later we were deposited at the marina, and escorted down the short pier walk to the Calypso, a double-hulled 25 meter vessel designed for snorkeling and scuba tourism. Given the rumors of rough weather later in the day, I was pleased to see a fairly large vessel with a competent crew.

Leaving Port Douglas

We boarded The Calypso, removed our shoes and were encouraged to make ourselves at home. As we arrived we were evaluated and fitted with flippers, snorkel gear and a wet suit. It was explained to us a little later that the water wasn't cold, but that suits were required because we were at the very end of the jellyfish season. The suits would protect us from stings should we meet up with one of the locals. Of particular concern, of course, are Box Jellyfish, among the deadliest in the world. Again we were reassured that it was extremely unlikely we would encounter anything of concern.

Not long after casting off the crew conducted an introductory review of the day and safety regulations. We got to know a few of the other passengers, most of whom were from around the world. (Britain and Australia, naturally, dominated the passenger manifest.) As we made the hour and a half voyage to the Outer Reef, people congregated on the first and second levels -- and a few tanning types made for the third deck sunlounges. morning tea was served and we all chatted excitedly about the day before us.

Not much to look at...

Despite the distance, it seemed we arrived before too long. Since the Reef, of course, is underwater, the only suggestion of a destination is the brown shadow in the water below. The arrival is almost uneventful as the captain selected his spot and the crew (carefully) dropped anchor and got the rear deck ready for the passengers.

For this particular visit, the captain had chosen Opal Reef, one of the regularly mentioned "beautiful" sights/sites on the Outer Reef. Despite its reputation only two boats -- ourselves and one from Wavelength Cruises -- were present, both giving wide berth to each other to ensure a "private" reef experience.

As I sat on the rear deck at the first (of three) site, fins on my feet and feet in the water, I looked out at all of the other passengers who were already in the water. Holding fast to their noodles -- supplied by the Calypso to make our viewing a lot easier -- they moved slowly, fanning out and across the Reef's shadow, heads buried in the water. My wife had already cast off and was joining the group -- roughly fifteen passengers. Five others, true scuba divers, had already departed and were somewhere below.

Nervously I looked down at the camera in my hands. The moment of truth. I should note that the idea of putting a camera into water -- let alone salt water -- goes against my every instinct as a photographer. And what if I had done something wrong? A grain of sand, and speck of dust that compromised the water-proofing? All sorts of things went through my head, not the least of which was "I just GOT this!"

Sucking in air, I leaned forward and dunked the camera, probably wincing as I did so. I looked at the display. It worked normally. So I dunked it again. Again, no problem. Finally, figuring it was "in for a dime, in for a dollar" I accepted this was why I bought it and slid into the water. The camera worked perfectly.

Moments later I was fighting the waves, swimming and drifting a few meters over the top of the first section of reef. In this area the reef was two to four meeter below the surface, which partially muted the colors, but still stunned me with the variety of fish, coral and other life. For a half hour or so I pushed around the camera, making photos with and without the flash, including a handful of videos. (Later I would discover than the constant wave action made the videos a bit loopy to watch, but once I get a chance to edit them properly I will post a few at a future date.) Not knowing what to expect with underwater photography, I was covering all of the bases. Fortunately the Nikon AW1 is sophisticated enough to compensate for my inexperience in underwater photography and allowed me to produce some truly stunning shots.

Time came to pull up anchor and move to a second spot, the duration of which they entertained a few of us with a short presentation on the bow sun deck. One of the crew, a biologist, walked us through what we had just seen, and what we could expect to see at stops two and three. Despite the already-impressive views, we were assured that stop number three would be stunning.

One amusing side note: during the first and second stops, several people were slightly distressed by the presence of small jellyfish, roughly the size of a human thumb, that were floating freely through the water. Plentiful enough that they were difficult to avoid. I found myself pulling back and dodging sideways at times to avoid them...until someone asked our biologist friend about them. All of us were dreading the Box Jellyfish, so really wanted to know if we should be concerned.

"Oh, those," she said. "Nah, they're not dangerous. You can even grab one and put it to your lips for s little buzz." Un-huh. Several of us thanked her, but said this was not likely to happen. But at least we didn't have to contort ourselves unnecessarily -- looking, no doubt, like a marlin caught on a fisherman's line -- next time they drifted into view.

The second stop was equal to the first, but when we arrived and got in for the third and final dive, the change was immediate and stunning.

The first two stops were at reefs several meters under the surface. While spectacular, the colors, as noted, were muted a bit and we, being on the surface, were sufficiently distant as to make the experience wonderful, but not sufficiently different from dives in Hawaii or Mexico.

The third stop explained, in full, why the reef -- The Great Barrier Reef -- is what it is. The surface of the particular structure was a meter or so down, so that we were drifting just inches off the coral. The fish, too, were much shallower, allowing the sun's light to bounce brightly off their scales, enhancing the amazing colors. It was as if the visuals from FINDING NEMO had leapt off the screen and lay before our eyes in real life. Fitting, since that's exactly what had happened, only in reverse. At the third stop you could see the diversity, the amazing beauty of the reef in full sun-drenched brilliance. 

The experience is one no words or pictures can convey fully, but I will try. Drifting over the tops of the coral structures, you get a sense of awe, of amazement that the natural world can produce such an astounding place. Each new area brings another thing of beauty into your view. As beautiful as areas one and two were, the third one was exponentially better. All of your senses are alive, including the sounds of the water lapping in your ears and the crash of light surf on the edges of the reef. Physically you're being bounced around, trying carefully to avoid hitting of touching anything below. Your nose is clamped tight, but the light taste of salt water permeates your mouth. And visually you're on overload.

Just before climbing back onto the Calypso -- exhausted and yet energized -- it occurs to me that so rarely do you find things for which you have built up expectations over a lifetime, which then turn out to be everything you've dreamed. This was that sort of thing.

As we clambered back on board, everyone was talking excitedly and yet also saddened that the reef was now dropping behind us. A storm was blowing in, and as we took turns in the bathrooms peeling the wetsuits off (not easy in a four x three foot room), people drifted into small groups, talking briefly then beginning to stare off into the distance, as if holding onto, for one more moment, the experience. As the Calypso headed for shore the squall caught up with us, making for a rough ride in -- but somehow fitting that the sea, after showing us the beauty if was capable of protecting, was also sending us a warning regarding the fury it could produce. We could look, but do not touch.

Look...but do not touch.

The Great Barrier Reef, all 1400 miles in length, 2900 individual  reefs, 900 islands and 344,000 square kilometers of it, is truly a global treasure -- it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a recognized Natural Wonder.




And as I check this off my No Opportunity Wasted list, I have to wonder: what could possibly replace it as my next goal. 

Maybe Antarctica....




List of World Heritage Sites: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list
...By the Sea:  http://www.bytheseaportdouglas.com.au/
Calyspo Reef Cruises:  http://www.calypsoreefcruises.com/


  

A Matter of Influence

"That’s the thing about travel. When you start, the world doesn’t get smaller, it increases in size." - Samantha Brown

Like almost everyone in the United States, I watch my fair share of television. And, as you might surmise, a good portion of my viewing has to do with travel and all of its myriad sub-subjects. On television you can find nearly every possible permutation of travel program -- from the opulently opulent to the down and dirty dirt. And everything in between.

A truly good travel television show has got to do a handful of things, and the majority do them fairly well without seeming like a shill for the destination , wherever it may be (though Disney has such a glossy style of production that virtually any show that has visited the Disney resorts, cruised on the Disney cruise one or done something Disneyesque, they appear to be cut from the same editing machine). The best shows are those that stand out from the crowd in some way -- they have a style or approach that makes them somewhat superior to a travel documentary about *fill in the blank*. 

Disneylandia

(This is where most Disney products tip their hat: they all smack of marketing rather than travel. The visuals, the interviews, the carefully trained Disney representatives, are all just a bit too clean and produced. Not that Disney is wrong for presenting this image, but every program I've watched has the same, very identifiable visual style.  They each use a bright, over-saturated look, with carefully lined up angles and "visitors" who have clearly emerged from Central Casting. The camera movements are generally beyond most of the lower-budget single camera travel shows, and the lighting is just a bit to pristine, as if the camera crew arrived at the park/ship/resort precisely at the best time of day for an optimal shot. For me it's an easy to spot video, and while I may watch it -- in the spirit of full disclosure, I'm a big Disney fan -- I tend to dismiss it as a marketing film instead of an honest review of a possible destination.)

But this column isn't intended to be about Disney.

It's about the best shows and hosts of programs which truly bite into the Travel Apple and tells us what flavor it is. If it's a particularly succulent fruit, or if there are a few worms under the skin. The best shows are those which add local flavor and texture to their show, and clearly convey what is good, what is bad, and what is downright ugly about a particular locale. Those are the shows I like to watch, and those are the shows most likely to give me the real feel for a place before I've gone. 

Some of you may be wondering why I've left Rick Steves off the list below and it's a valid question. Rick Steves is a consummate traveler and reporter, with tons of credentials and hundreds of thousands of miles to his credit, and he's someone who has earned a great deal of respect for authoritative work. The omission is strictly mine. While many people like his style and his company has thousands of travelers every year, I personally regard his programs as most post-cardlike than a real dig into the dirt taste of a region. To me that's the essential key to a good program: do I have a solid feel for a country or region or place -- not just what it looks like, or where the best shopping is -- I want to have a real talk with the locals, at a local level. It doesn't have to be an interview or even a major discussion, but give me an interaction that shows me I'm not watching a marketing film. Rick's program, like the Disney shows, has that feel to it. If I can assign a word, it's more of an advertisement than travelogue, and by that harsh word I mean that the show is a bit too polished towards showing you a destination than taking an honest bite out of it. It's like watching one of the omnipresent Best Of… countdown programs. Each segment is a highlights reel -- or sizzle reel in the current parlance -- instead of a visit. To me both Disney and Rick Steves are highlights shows for tourists instead of reality programs for travelers.

And, in a line from the old Seinfeld show: "Not that there's anything wrong with that". I attach the shows, you watch the shows, and they're popular in general. It's good, and it serves a purpose -- but neither of those categories (and yes, they're major enough to warrant "categories as a description) satisfies me enough to be labeled A Truly Good Travel Show.

(I can hear the "but, but, but…" of some of you when you glance below and see Samantha Brown's name. "Doesn't she do the very same thing?" you'll cry. Well, yes. For the most part she does, but I'll explain her inclusion in a moment. Relax. I'm here. It will be all right.)

It's a matter of individual choice, and that's the beauty of it. You may have a dramatically different list -- but this is my blog, so I get to pick my own list. It's one of the few perks of writing this sort of thing: no money, no prestige, no reward, but it's my world, my toys and my rules. So...

-------------------------------------------------

Anthony Bourdain -- (Where I learned "GET LOCAL") 

Bourdain is a literate, literary and gritty teller of truths. His first book, KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL proved he has a unique voice and style of communicating that is both sardonic and captivating. There is something about the way he describes a place, the way in which he approaches it, that pulls the viewer along -- not just as an audience member, an observer, but in a way, as Bourdain's friendly and personal confidant sharing in some of the less printable observations as well as those things that make a given itinerary more than merely an antiseptic jaunt from airport to hotel and back. 

Bourdain makes each destination live for the viewer, even if it's not always in the most flattering light. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, jumping bare-ass naked into an Icelandic mud bath or South American river. His vocal style is unique, but if forced to define it I'd need to describe him as the illicit expositional child of Ernest Hemingway with more than a dash of Hunter S Thompson. And after some of the very rough nights of alcohol-infused cultural bonding, Bourdain resembles nothing so much as one of Thompson's spiritual and artistic companion Ralph Steadman's gonzo caricatures. But yeah, utterly brilliant and someone I deeply like.

Alton Brown -- (Who showed we should 'GET AWAY FROM THE MAIN ROADS") 

"What?" you ask, "Alton Brown, the cooking guy? What's he got to do with travel?" Good question. Typically we see Alton in a kitchen, be it small and houselike or huge and stadium-sized -- he's the main presenter in such Food Network fare as THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR and the American version of IRON CHEF. When he's not presenting those programs, he's Thomas Dolby's spiritual Blinded Me With (Kitchen) Science as he explains how yeast makes bread rise, or the lifecycle of grapes that make their way into your refrigerator. 

So what the heck am I thinking by putting him in my list of favorite travel program hosts? Simple. A few years ago he toured American backroads and diners, riding a BMW motorcycle as he made his way across the United States during two seasons of FEASTING ON ASPHALT (a third series this changed to FEASTING ON WAVES, as Alton traded his Beemer for a boat). Alton's series was a wonderful and earthy dig into the heart of American comfort cuisine. The highway diners and waystations true travelers might encounter should they find themselves on a bike trip across the continent.

Samantha Brown -- (Who taught me "IT'S OKAY TO INDULGE") 

"Okay," I can hear your voice in my head, "you're full of shit. Samantha Brown? Really?" Um. 

Yes. Really. I know, I know. Endlessly perky and indulgent, Samantha Brown is indeed the poster child for the pre-digested Disneyesque light travel fare that is the antithesis of the more rugged, grittier Bourdain, Carmichael and Alton. But I figure this is my version of a guilty pleasure -- Samantha Brown makes travel fun. Yes, there's a degree of cotton candy in the way her shows present things. Samantha is not about muddy hikes through the mountains in a downpour, hunkering coldly in a two-person tent with wet shoes and stringy hair. Samantha is all about the luxury -- and she does it in a way where it doesn't feel as much like an obligatory snooty indulgence so much as a well-deserved dip in a world the majority of us cannot afford. She's our surrogate, as if we're sharing a secret and whimsical confetti-check weekend before returning to the real world we both wink-wink recognize awaits us outside the door. And in that, she's on my list for letting us dream right along with her. She's kind of my travel BFF, but the girl-next-door variety who won't incur a jealous wrath from our significant other.

Todd Carmichael -- (Who is teaching me "BE PASSIONATE") 

The new kid on the block. If you're not familiar with Todd Carmichael it's not a huge surprise -- his program, DANGEROUS GROUNDS, is a recent addition to the Travel Channel schedule. Todd is the kind of guy you'd want in your corner when walking through dark alley downtown some night. He's a down to earth, genuine guy who clearly enjoys the adventure, and does a terrific job of explaining why certain things are worth the effort. A coffee guy -- the pun in the title, get it? -- who travels to some of the most unstable and dangerous parts of the world seeking exclusive deals on rare and tasty coffee beans. 

It sounds odd, and for the most part you have to view his passion through his own lens -- the risks and challenges he endures seem out of proportion to the single cup of coffee he inevitably enjoys at the end of each show. But the show is direct and honest, and the danger appears to be quite real. When he whispers to his cameraman to hide the camera as they approach a police checkpoint the fear is real, the danger palpable. With Bourdain leaving The Travel Channel for -- presumably -- more profitable digs, the channel has done a commendable job of giving us a traveler even more honest and gritty. While you might not mind joining Anthony for a few drinks in a dive bar somewhere in Vietnam, Todd isn't someone you'd want to travel with as much as share a drink with him in a perfectly safe bar in Philadelphia listening to his latest gut-wrenching adventure.

And then we come to this.

Phil Keoghan - (Who told us there's "NO OPPORTUNITY TO BE WASTED")

Arguably the best and most traveled of all of the individuals listed above, Keoghan has had a positive impact on the world through his No Opportunity Wasted brand of business. In many ways I have to attribute my love of travel and emergence as a travel photographer and blogger to Phil's philosophy. 

But, in the spirit of full honesty, "ethics" is a fundamental aspect of anyone who I endorse or respect. 

A few weeks ago I published a column detailing my issue with the complete lapse of integrity on the part of two of the teams in the current season of THE AMAZING RACE. In the subsequent weeks the Producers have publicly ignored the issue, and Keoghan went so far as to tweet that it was not "against the rules" for one team to steal money from another. And there we are -- there is the rub. Had Phil or the Producers made public comment and condemned the move that would be one thing, but it is clear to me -- and evidently to thousands of others -- that they do not intend to act. Worse, they themselves may have committed a crime in enabling the thieves -- when there is ample video evidence of the crime -- to leave the country.

That, friends, is unforgivable.

I am looking forward to the remainder of episodes -- two to go -- in the hopes that the silence is because the issue is handled, and to make a public comment spoils the impact -- but I really don't expect that to be the case. In fact, since there are four teams left, and two of them were involved in the crime and, in fact, had an unfair advantage due to the stolen funds, it appears the eventual winner may have a good chance to be tainted. And that would be truly sad for the show and the integrity of everyone involved. I would like to think it's simply a misunderstanding, but the silence is deafening. But I continue to hope and would be absolutely thrilled if I'm wrong.

-------------------------------------------------

So, there you are. The list of travel-show people who have had an impact on my own life and approach to travel. And since the objective of THE THUMBNAIL TRAVELER is to SHARE THE ADVENTURE, it's fitting to mention those who, by their own sharing, have encouraged me to do the same.

They're the ones who have helped me discover just how big the world is and how little of it I have seen so far.

In Pursuit of the Cool

 Like many people, there are times I find myself all wrapped up in the utterly dumb-ass cavorting of celebrities. A lot of people think that celebrities are cool. That they define cool. That cool is being just like that celebrity, at least in your imagination. 

Not cool

Now, given my tenuous connection to Hollywood and poorly hidden love of travel and glamour, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise or shock to anyone that I spend some time trying to be cool. Yeah, just last essay I discussed getting away from such things and focussing on the free and easy, which usually makes for a much more enjoyable trip. And that stands as both very true and very important. But in life one must have things which burn through and are adventures just simply because there is a cool factor built into them. I am lucky enough to hover close enough to the entertainment industry to get a few castoffs -- leftover donuts and bottles of water-- as well as every once in a blue moon to get a glimpse of what lies behind the gate. But it's less about being a celebrity than it is getting to do the sorts of things we all imagine that they get to do on a regular basis (We're wrong, for the most part, but it's part of the mystique nonetheless.) And many people consider getting behind that gate to be "cool", which gets me to thinking.

Backstage with Savage City 

I like doing cool things. And more importantly, as a traveler getting to do cool stuff just kind of comes built in to the program if I'm doing things right -- getting behind the gate, so to speak. 

Trapped in Space Mountain

A backstage pass is a cool thing. Eating at an exclusive restaurant and being given a tour of the kitchen is a cool thing. Touring the Boeing plant in Everett, Washington is a cool thing. Betting the number 32 on the roulette wheel in Monte Carlo is a cool thing. Sipping at exclusive wines in the middle of a vineyard is cool. Getting your fortune told in New Orleans is a cool thing. Vegas has made a tremendous industry of finding, defining, redefining and creating cool to appeal to visitors of all ages, sexes and incomes. Anyone with a pocketbook, to be precise. Life is full of very cool things to see and do. And that's kind of my point. Don't be afraid to do the cool things.

I know. That sounds kinda like common sense, but it astounds me the number of times people do the sort of thing I did as a young adult driving across country for the first time: press for the goal, not taking the time to enjoy the cool stuff along the way. There are a couple of things which brought this topic to mind.

Being cool in the Yukon

Inevitably, our favorite teams on The Amazing Race -- a program which has unfortunately fallen quite hard from my "respect-o-meter" as a result of the theft which occurred on the show and seems to have gained the tacit approval of the host and the show's producers -- are the ones who actively pay attention to the world around them and take joy in the adventure itself, not just the drive to get to the leg's finish line. Examples are Jet and Cord, The Cowboys, who set a new standard of sincerity when, at the end of one leg, realized they were doomed to elimination and so stopped and savored the moment. Realizing the inevitable, they completed the final task at leisure -- eating fondue in a swiss chalet -- and took the moment just to breathe, enjoy the company and savor the environment. That, my friends, is cool.

Best bud Jim being cool with volcanoes

Cool is being open to adventure, to the travel experience, regardless how small, particularly if it's out of the ordinary and different. Recently my wife and I were caught at the very top of Disneyland's Space Mountain when the ride broke down. If you're not familiar with the ride (and where the Hell have you been if you are not) it's a roller coaster ride though the dark inside of a massive dome. The sensation of being thrown around in near complete blackness is a chilling and yet fun experience. We had just summited the first hill -- always the tallest in any coaster -- and begun the ride when suddenly the lights came on and the car came to an abrupt stop (didn't know they could do that, and it's good information to have). And for ten minutes or so we sat, still kept firmly in our seats by the safety bars, looking down at the cavernous interior of the ride. For anyone who has every been through the Mountain in the dark, wondering about the proximity of crossbars and things which may be lurking in the dark, it's a fascinating thing to be able to see what you've just imagined. And, as I noted to my wife, an adventure in and of itself. It was cool. Not as in "Fez's are cool", but in a genuine "how many people get a chance to do this" sort of way.

On Abbey Road

While most people trapped on the ride were grumbling about passes and how long it had taken for the "rescue" teams to arrive, we sat joking with people in the cars around us, and not entirely having a bad time because the ride was off. And, being at the top, we did have fun at the expense of the poor park employees who arrived huffing and puffing from the five story ascent to retrieve us. But while most people were any and disappointed, we managed to have a good time -- and isn't that the purpose of being in Disneyland in the first place?

So cool is important, even if it's accidental. The true sign of an experienced traveler is to make the proverbial lemonade when only lemons are offered. No, I'm not being Pollyanna here. I get just as miffed as the rest of you when traffic, or flight delays or closures impact my plans. Yeah, it's annoying, but what are you going to do about it? Often, there's really very little, and if you relax and let the flow go it can make up for the inconvenience in other ways. Flight canceled? Don't berate the poor person behind the counter. Take the time to relax them and let them know you're on their side and they can often work a bit harder on your behalf than they would with the 13th irate person standing at their desk. Smile, joke if it's appropriate, and let the course take itself until things are worked out.

The ultra-cool James Moran eats at Philippe's

Cool can also be a preplanned event. Dinner at a cool place. (For the record Bubba Gump, Planet Hollywood and The Rainforest Cafe are not cool. Even the ones in Times Square. Especially the ones in Times Square.) A cool place for dinner -- unless you're willing to part with potentially hundreds of dollars for the Rainbow Room atop 30 Rock -- is the little chinese place you found in Chinatown. Or the coffee house in the bohemian side of town. Cool is a french dip sandwich at Philippe's or a hot dog at Pink's. Cool is not a hot dog at Der Weinerschnitzel or the french dip at Denny's. You can do that at home, so why in the Hell would you eat dinner at The Olive Garden on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach? (I'm not sure there IS one, but you know what I mean.)

Martinis and Jazz

The point of travel is to experience something unique. Otherwise, why bother? Right? The Cool is finding something representative of the place you're visiting. Even if you're at home, every once in a while you need to reach out and do something "local" -- and its finding that thing and doing it which is the cool part. Part of the cool is cultivating your friends and contacts to join in or recommend the fun things. Who is someone you look to for this sort of thing, and what is it they like to do? Is it something you think you would enjoy -- and is it something you're capable of doing? (Surfing Oahu's northern shore is cool, but would break my neck in twenty seven pieces, so probably isn't terribly smart for me to do.)

Do the things that ten years from now you'll remember and will be a mark on your cool merit badge sash of life. Will you remember that "fair" quesadilla at Rainforest Cafe, or will you remember the martinis at the little jazz joint down in the village? Looking back at a trip will you remember the queues at the airport, or the dinner on the water at sunset? Will you remember the hours driving miles on miles through the desert, or will you remember the ten minute stop at the cheesy roadside attraction with the paper mache dinosaurs out back?

Cool is getting a snot-nosed brat behind a counter at a concert asking if you want a straw with that split of wine you just ordered and telling them you do, then walking away sipping. (I saw someone do just this many years ago and it made a profound impact on my sensibilities that far outlasted the concert itself.)

It's a matter of cool, and taking the time to see it, recognize it for what it is and then just doing it. 

Be cool.

Just relax and stay cool